Airline Employment Glossary

Airframe and powerplant. A&P technicians keep aircraft in safe flying condition and are licensed by the FAA.

Pay scales for those hired before deregulation. Pay scales are higher than those hired after deregulation.

The rear of an aircraft.

The government employees directing takeoffs, landings, and flight plans for all aircraft.

Pay scales for those hired after deregulation. Pay scales start at a lower rate than A-scale and increase with seniority.

A group of aircraft waiting to land at the same airport at the same time.

The airport from which flight crews are assigned.

The machine used to load and unload luggage from an aircraft.

The process of requesting a flight schedule for flight attendants. Requests are filled according to seniority.

The seasonal period when special fares or employee discounts are not honored for travel on airlines.

The coupon containing passenger and flight information which a passenger must present in order to board a flight.

The time period from when an aircraft leaves the gate to its arrival to the destination gate.

A discounted travel ticket for the friend of an employee.

The interior of an aircraft where the passengers sit.

A group interview process primarily used for hiring flight attendants.

A flight that has been contracted to fly from one city to another.

A block of wood or rubber to stabilize the wheels when parking an aircraft.

The forward section of the airplane where the pilots sit during a flight.

A crew member flying as a passenger to reach an assignment in another location.

The process of spraying a glycol solution on the wings of an aircraft to prevent the formation of ice during inclement weather conditions.

The 1978 lifting of government regulation of fares and route assignments.

A flight from one destination to another with stops between but no change of aircraft.

The city where flight crews are based.

The Federal Aviation Administration is the government agency that regulates the airline industry.

The part of an airline ticket that serves as the boarding pass.

Same as block hours.

The main body of an aircraft.

The area where passengers board and deplane an aircraft.

A city that serves as a major intersection for connections to other destinations.

A flight coming into the airport.

The use of more than one airline for an itinerary.

A painted line to direct aircraft from the runway to the gates.

The mobile walkway that connects the plane and the terminal used to transport passengers.

An overnight stay for a flight crew member in a city other than the home base city.

The process of using hand signals to direct an aircraft to park.

The maximum weight allowed for an aircraft to take off safely.

A flight from one destination to another without any stops between.

The process of unloading cargo and luggage from an aircraft.

A flight going out of an airport.

A regulated daily allowance for crew members for time spent away from the home base.

The person that collects tickets at the gate.

When the plane backs up under its own power.

When the plane is pushed backwards by a ramp agent in a push tug vehicle.

The portable stairs positioned at the door of the airplane for exiting and entering of passengers.

The facilitator in a group interview session.

Flight crew members who do not have regularly scheduled shifts, but are still working on an on-call basis.

The strip on the airfield where airplanes takeoff and land.

Flights that are regularly scheduled and available to the general public.

A passenger who does not have a confirmation on a flight and is allowed to board only after the confirmed passengers have been seated.

When an aircraft moves under its own power on the ground.

The equipment used to push an aircraft away from the gate.

The vehicle used to pull carts of luggage and cargo.

The amount of time an aircraft has on the ground before it must depart.

A flight that leaves and returns to the original city in the same day.

An aircraft which has dual aisles.

The term for a ramp agent who walks beside the aircraft to watch for traffic.